Morrissey interview by Thomas Conner in Chicago Sun-Times

It's over, still you cling: Morrissey on Smiths reunion by Thomas Conner - Chicago Sun-Times

...His return to Chicago makes good after last fall's cancellation of a string of shows (including Oct. 27 here) in order to return to England to care for his ailing mother. Days before that announcement, Morrissey answered our questions via email -- the only way he'll consent to most interviews nowadays, after years of claiming to be misquoted -- about his pending memoir, American politics, the endless Smiths reunion queries and his years of refusal.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting.
"[...] What young upstarts are you championing these days? Morrissey: None. They all turn around and bite you."
Did anything bad happen between him and The Courteeners, or him and Young The Giant?

 

[CrystalGeezer]

Huh.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting.
"[...] What young upstarts are you championing these days? Morrissey: None. They all turn around and bite you."
Did anything bad happen between him and The Courteeners, or him and Young The Giant?

Awe I wonder why they bite ? Would you like me to put some more salt on your french fries ?

 

[Guernie]

Even though some questions have been flogged to death, you always find a Mozzie twist to the answers to make one smile . Learned something new about his solo work. As to when he really felt comfortable being solo .......... give the interview a read to find out . Thanks for posting !

 

[MelissaD]

So he's not championing KY? Of course she's not young (no pun intended). Just a bit confused on that bit. So she's old school? A pro? hmmm

 

[Anonymous]

I cringe every time an interviewer asks him or Johnny Marr about reforming The Smiths.

Get over it - it will never happen.

I'm surprised neither of them haven't gone completely mad and/or been violent towards a journalist by now due to this.

They should make a point of NOT mentioning The Smiths - and then if Moz or Marr choose to raise the subject themselves, so be it, and let it flow from there.

 

[grant gauld]

only a matter of time before his next album is released,a record deal will happen soon,im sure,same old questions about the smiths reforming,how bloody dull,better off on his solo adventure,cant wait to hear what he has to say about our coward terrorist prince harry,all one big cover up,he is not fighting the front line,its all a cover up to make the royals so brave,one massive pr stunt that i hope goes wrong,oh harry harry your a bumbling fool.

 

[Chip]

The era is immaterial, but the earlier songs are more parochial. It never occurred to me that anyone outside of Manchester would like them, or even listen to them

LOL. You funny Moz.

 

[CrystalGeezer]

It just makes me sad when he throws other musicians under the bus. Whatever. It seems fear-based, like maybe he'll work that out with some help. Still I imagine the Courteeners were scratching their heads this morning.

 

[Anonymous]

The comment was a joke about "they bite you back". Maybe someone band blammed him at some point. Why does everyone assume it's the last warm up act?

 

[Anonymous]

It just makes me sad when he throws other musicians under the bus. Whatever. It seems fear-based, like maybe he'll work that out with some help. Still I imagine the Courteeners were scratching their heads this morning.

But really, do you think he will cave in for the right candy and get The Smiths back in line ?

 

[CrystalGeezer]

But really, do you think he will cave in for the right candy and get The Smiths back in line ?

Well, if someone sued me I'm pretty sure I'd have zero interest in saying "Meh, water under the bridge." on that one, so...no. In addition to all the other points he makes that reform bands are pretty much ONLY for money and he's doing this for the spirit of music and he has a solid, under-appreciated band now.

 

[Anonymous]

Even though some questions have been flogged to death, you always find a Mozzie twist to the answers to make one smile . Learned something new about his solo work. As to when he really felt comfortable being solo .......... give the interview a read to find out . Thanks for posting !

But in what way has he actually done any solo work? All he's done is worked with different songwriters and different musicians and, instead of coming up with a band name (as he did in the Smiths), he's just called the finished package 'Morrissey'.

Wouldn't it be intriguing if he actually did go solo like tons of other people, now including Johnny Marr, have done? So Morrissey would write the music (the proper music i.e. not the vocal melody), and teach himself to play guitar (or whatever instrument). Then we would genuinely hear him as a solo performer.
Also, if he wants his musicians to receive more attention he should stop calling his live and recording outfit 'Morrissey'. Come up with a band name, involve the band members (or at least the main guitarist/songwriter) in interviews etc (as he did with the Smiths), put them on the covers as well, and then we could all focus on the other people in the band a bit more. Involving other band members in his interviews surely couldn't make the interviews any worse these days.
As long as he continues to call his pop group 'Morrissey' then journalists will have minimal interest in the other players. Amazing how not one single journalist has asked him about Alain Whyte's departure when Whyte has written more Morrissey-sung songs than anyone else (and virtually all the decent ones from the last 10 years). As long as he continues to present his pop group as 'Morrissey' the musicians' profiles will remain low.

 

[Chip]

It just makes me sad when he throws other musicians under the bus. Whatever. It seems fear-based, like maybe he'll work that out with some help. Still I imagine the Courteeners were scratching their heads this morning.

I tend to agree. I suspect part of the reason he's kept Kristeen Young as his opening is he is terrified of being upstaged or that some new group of up and comers will end up eclipsing him in the long run. His comment in the article somewhat confirms it. I had read a piece from years ago that implied that insecurity had something to do with why he walked off the David Bowie tour.

Don't get my wrong, I love Morrissey and think he's a great artist. I've seen him three times on this current tour and each show has been great, but he's never played nice with his contemporary artist (his comments on Joy Division were dreadful) and he doesn't seem interested in doing so with any of today's indie/alt rock bands either. I am glad he continues to make music and perform on his own terms in a way that he is clearly passionate about as opposed to doing some sort of horrible nostalgia "Mopiest of the 80s tour" with Cure and New Order co-headlining. At the same time, I also think he deserves to tour with someone a little bit better than Young. If she was some sort of misunderstood genies scorned by the record industry whom he was championing out of principle I'd be ok with it. I for one do not believe there is any correlation between talent, artistic integrity and commercial viability (in fact the inverse seems to be true), but I would like to see get along with some better acts.

I'm jealous of people in the LA area who are going to get to see him with Patti Smith. I'd love to see them perform together more regularly.

 

[Anonymous]

I tend to agree. I suspect part of the reason he's kept Kristeen Young as his opening is he is terrified of being upstaged or that some new group of up and comers will end up eclipsing him in the long run. His comment in the article somewhat confirms it. I had read a piece from years ago that implied that insecurity had something to do with why he walked off the David Bowie tour.

Don't get my wrong, I love Morrissey and think he's a great artist. I've seen him three times on this current tour and each show has been great, but he's never played nice with his contemporary artist (his comments on Joy Division were dreadful) and he doesn't seem interested in doing so with any of today's indie/alt rock bands either. I am glad he continues to make music and perform on his own terms in a way that he is clearly passionate about as opposed to doing some sort of horrible nostalgia "Mopiest of the 80s tour" with Cure and New Order co-headlining. At the same time, I also think he deserves to tour with someone a little bit better than Young. If she was some sort of misunderstood genies scorned by the record industry whom he was championing out of principle I'd be ok with it. I for one do not believe there is any correlation between talent, artistic integrity and commercial viability (in fact the inverse seems to be true), but I would like to see get along with some better acts.

I'm jealous of people in the LA area who are going to get to see him with Patti Smith. I'd love to see them perform together more regularly.

I believe Kristeen Young is on tour with Morrissey for only one reason. The two are obviously involved in a relationship and who can blame Morrissey she extremely hot.

 

[realitybites]

Q: You've been through Chicago many times. Is it merely another date on the schedule, or have you been able to connect to the city in any way? A favorite bookstore, a favorite view, a dear acquaintance ...?

Morrissey: A dear acquaintance ... how funny.

Now that's the Morrissey wit I love so much!

More of that and less celebrity bashing, please.

 

[Johnny Barleycorn]

I tend to agree. I suspect part of the reason he's kept Kristeen Young as his opening is he is terrified of being upstaged or that some new group of up and comers will end up eclipsing him in the long run. His comment in the article somewhat confirms it. I had read a piece from years ago that implied that insecurity had something to do with why he walked off the David Bowie tour.

I think the issue there was that Bowie suggested that at a Wembley show Morrissey and his band would finish, and while the lights were down at the end of their last number Bowie and his band would slope on to replace them and start their set. Hence, no applause or appreciation for Moz. Something like that. Bit cheeky on Bowie's part, bit OTT on the part of Morrissey.

I don't know if that rift was ever healed, but judging by the snippy comment Jonathan Ross attributed to Morrissey following DBs return a couple of weeks back it seems not. Perhaps I've been harsh though. Does anyone know if Morrissey tends to bear grudges?

 

[Chip]

I think the issue there was that Bowie suggested that at a Wembley show Morrissey and his band would finish, and while the lights were down at the end of their last number Bowie and his band would slope on to replace them and start their set. Hence, no applause or appreciation for Moz. Something like that. Bit cheeky on Bowie's part, bit OTT on the part of Morrissey.

I don't know if that rift was ever healed, but judging by the snippy comment Jonathan Ross attributed to Morrissey following DBs return a couple of weeks back it seems not. Perhaps I've been harsh though. Does anyone know if Morrissey tends to bear grudges?

I've heard that story as well. That is the reason Morrissey gave for walking off the Bowie tour. Bowie claimed he didn't know why and Morrissey just walked off after two dates and they never spoke again. There was an article though (I forget were and who wrote it) that interviewed his than manager who insisted the problem was with depression and general anxiety over opening for Bowie. Obviously, I don't know the real story, but I suspect there's some truth in each of those three versions of events. Given his choice of opening acts I suspect he's slightly insecure.

I'd love for Morrissey to reconcile with Bowie, but I feel like that might not be possible.

 

[jdbabz]

Do any of these interviewers read previous interviews. The 'Do you have a record label? question has been asked multiple times.